UAE residents stranded outside the country no longer need to apply for government approval before flying back into the country.
A series of tweets from the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said the new rules are effective from today (Wednesday August 12).
It said the decision was made by The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) as the summer comes to an end and schools are getting ready to start once more.
#NCEMA and the @ICAUAE approved the second phase for the return of residents, starting from 12/08/2020, aligned with end of the summer vacation for educational establishments and the continued return of shopping centers and services.
— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) August 12, 2020
While the announcement said there’s no need to make an application to return, it did ask people to update their nationality, Emirates ID number and passport number here, though that is optional.
People returning will still need to have a negative COVID-19 test no more than 96 hours before returning to the UAE, carried out at an accredited clinic.
It’s also necessary to follow the quarantine procedures set out by the government upon arrival back in the UAE, which vary depending on where you have travelled from and if you can isolate at home.
For the latest travel information for the UAE, click here.